Images taken from the sky show Russia preparing to test out nuclear missiles at a previously abandoned launch site, according to reports. New satellite pictures, taken by Planet Labs, indicate that Russia is preparing to trial flights of its Burevestnik war-heads near the Arctic circle.

The pictures, shared by researchers at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, indicate “high levels” of activity at the previously dismantled test site.

Plant Lab photos reportedly show a rebuilt launch pad, a helicopter landing strip, and several shipping containers, according to researchers Duitsman and Jeffrey Lewis.

Russia dismantled the Pankovo site after test runs of the Burevestnik failed back in November 2017. The country trialed four of the warheads between November 2018 and February 2018, each ending in a crash, The Moscow Times reports.

Russia paused testing and dismantled the site – but the researchers told CNN it appears “the pause is over.” Duitsman and Lewis said, “the activity and new construction are consistent with a resumption of test flights of the Burevestnik.” Lewis said the latest round of testing risks reigniting a nuclear arms race with the United States.

He said, “the United States and Russia seem to be stumbling into a new arms race. This is one of a number of dangerous and destabilizing weapons right out of science fiction that Russia is developing to defeat US missile defenses.”

The images appear to show the removal of a building in the flight path, and a new launchpad set up. Researchers said that the increased activity is taking place across three locations on the previously dismantled site.

It comes after two unnamed U.S officials told CNN they were aware of Russia’s work behind the scenes.

Earlier this month, the Kremlin said it successfully test-fired a hypersonic cruise missile from a naval ship in the White Sea. And on Tuesday, Russia’s Ministry of Defence posted a video of Oniks cruise missile launch conducted from a military base in the Arctic.

6 thoughts on “Russia Preparing to Test Nuclear Weapons, Images Show”
  1. What a shame that the whole world is always building weaponds to start another war. Sitting down for a cup of coffee would a lot cheaper. Looks like this virus is going to kill all of us without fireing a shot.

    1. George, it is a shame governments keep building and buying more and more weapons to threaten and/or use against other nations. Yes, a coffee summit with a mountain of tasty donuts would be much cheaper and safer. But we are all fallen humans and our natural behavior is to kill or be killed. Therefore, smart countries build and maintain strong militaries in case they are needed. COVID will Not kill us all, but the fear it might is crippling too many normal and productive people. The number of deaths is artificially too high and America cannot stay even partially shut-down. I have done many things with political friends without COVID restrictions and Nobody is getting sick. Let’s see how many restrictions remain after November 3.

  2. Russia is in trouble economically due to the low oil price. The West defeated the Soviet Union during and after the Cold War due to financial might as they could not afford both “guns and butter”. A similar situation pertains now. However, a more dangerous potential enemy is China, which also has nuclear weapons and sophisticated equipment largely copied or stolen from the West. Clearly, their aggressive stances over Tibet, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the South China Sea and adventures in Africa have to be confronted and curtailed. The best ways to do this are to face them down militarily and politically, restrict their access to raw materials, minimise purchasing of their manufactured goods, stop their access to Western know-how, reduce their access to foreign currencies by restricting tourism, and strangle them financially by restricing their access to foreign exchange markets.

    1. Roy T. . . . . YUP! You have a handle on this one! That is if the STUPID COMMUNIST DEMOCRAP SHEEPLE LEMMINGS DON’T SCREW THE POOCH AND ELECT KAMALA HARRIS TO THE PRESIDENCY!!!

  3. This is disturbing news, but we should not be surprised. Former communist Russia broke its “promises” to us and told us to buzz off when we challenged its agressions and “secret” weapons developments and testings. I really wish Ronald Reagan had developed the star wars defense system to keep the U.S. strongly ahead of the Soviets in missle technology. America should NEVER stop developing the latest military systems just because our enemies said we better not.

  4. Shouldn’t we thank Hillary for selling the needed materials for developing and building the weapons to Russia? As secretary of state, she made some of the stupidest decisions ever made! Of course, her ‘foundation’ grew by millions and now she is hiding it.

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